Calendar for writing instruments



Feb. 6, 1962 A. KESE 3,019,541

CALENDAR FOR WRITING INSTRUMENTS Filed Jan. 19, 1959 22 A NOLD KESE 12 F1 5/? 2. R INVENTOR. Fig. 1- BY 34%"; /2

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3,019,541 CALENDAR FOR WRITING INSTRUMENTS Arnold Kese, 2915 N. 30th Ave., Tacoma, Wash. Filed .lan. 19, 15 59, Ser. No. 787,603 7 Claims. (Cl. 49--335) This invention relates to calendars and pertains more particularly to improvements in a calender forming a part of a writing instrument such as a ball point pen, a mechanical pencil, or similar article.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a calendar for a writing instrument or the like having a construction which adds no appreciable cost to the manufacture of the instrument and also in no way alters the balance or the gripping or handling facility of such instrument.

Another important object is to provide a calendar for a writing instrument which sets out for inspection on one side of the instrument one complete month at a time, and although the writing instrument has the usual relatively small circumferential dimension such month is substantially wholly visible without rotating the instrument.

'Still another object of the invention is to provide a calendar for a writing instrument having an improved combination of shaded and window areas for accomplishing the intended purpose. I i

It is another object to provide a calendar of the type described which is of simplifiedconstruction and which may be adjusted easily and accurately for ascertaining the current date.

The manner in which the foregoing and other objects of this invention are accomplished will be apparent from the accompanying specification and claims, considered together with the drawings wherein like numerals represent like parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a writing instrument provided with the present calendar;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one element of the calendar opened out so that it may be viewed in its entirety in a hat plane; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a second element of the calendar also opened out for viewing in a flat plane.

Generally stated, the present calendar comprises a substantially cylindrical body element on which is rotatably mounted a sleeve element or member. More particularly, with the calendar comprising a part of a writing instrument, such instrument has a circumferential groove which carries necessary indicia or markings in circumferential bands on the bottom thereof and which forms a guideway for the rotatable sleeve member. The sleeve also is provided with suitable indicia or markings which, similar to the indicia or markings on the body member are disposed in circumferential bands. The sleeve bands overlie the bands on the body element and as will be seen hereinafter the arrangement of the indicia and markings on the two elements and the cooperation therebetween provide an improved calendar member.

Considering the foregoing in greater detail and with particular reference to the drawings:

Although the calendar of this invention may form a part of any member of suitable configuration it is particularly suited and described herein in conjunction with a writing instrument such as a ball point pen, a mechanical pencil, or the like. The instrument is circumferentially grooved or recessed or otherwise has a guideway 12 thereabout for rotatably receiving a sleeve 14. Sleeve 14 is freely rotatable in the groove 12 and its wall thickness is identical to the depth of the groove so that its outer surface is flush with the surface of the instrument.

The bottom wall 15 of groove 12, comprising the body element of the calendar, is provided with indicia and colored or shaded portions as shown in FIGURE 2. Such markings are provided directly on the bottom wall 15 of the groove 12. Body element 15 has a shaded or colored area 16 defining an upper narrow window area 18 and a lower window area 26 including therein a shaded area 22. Also included in the window area 20 at the upper portion thereof are weekday designations 24.

The body element 15 is divided into a plurality of circumferential bands. the shaded area 16 and the window area 18. The next adjacent band, designated by the numeral 28, includes the weekday designations 24 and the next band 30 includes the window area 29.

Adjacent the band 30 is an auxiliary band 32 which includes the shaded area 22 and portions of the window area 20 which project into the band 32 at the ends of the area 22.

Sleeve 14, preferably formed of a clear plastic material, is also divided into a plurality of circumferentially disposed bands. First, it has an uppermost band 34 divided into eleven sections or columns including the names of the months of a year. In assembled relation of the parts wherein sleeve 14 is mounted in groove 12 to overlie body element 15 the month designations in the band 34 are visible one at a time in the window. 18. Adjacent the band 34 is a band 36 comprising merely a clear area in which is seen the weekly designations '24 in the band 28.

Adjacent the band 36 is a band 33 which is inscribed with the days of the month of two complete months and which circumferentiallyoverlies band 30. Window 29 has a predetermined transverse dimension whereby only one of the months will be visible therein at a time. Sleeve 14 also has a band 40 in which is included a numeral 31. This numeral is displaced from one of the sets of month days. The band 40 overlies band 32 wherein at some times the displaced numeral 31 in the band 40 Will be visible through the windows at the ends of shaded area 22,.

depending on whether or not the month to be read on the calendar has thirty-one days.

The arrangement of the indicia of the sleeve 14 and the particular pattern of the shaded and window areas is important. That is, by the arrangement illustrated two full months are provided on the calendar whereby even.

though the calendar is provided on a writing instrument of relatively small diameter the one set of the days of the month which is visible in the window 20 takes up only about half the circumferential dimension of the writing instrument and therefore is easily read. That is, even though the circumferential dimension of the instrument is quite small, the month which is visible in the window 29 is substantially entirely visible from one side and therefore it is not necessary to rotate the instrument to take a reading.

To accomplish the functions pointed out above, the month designations in the band 34 are preferably arranged in eleven columns or sections and are substantially vertically aligned with columns or sections of numerals comprising days of the month in band 38. Also, by the arrangement described the area 22 is of a selected length and so placed that the numeral 31 which is displaced from the one month will be visible at the end of such area only on those months having thirty-one days. The rest of the time this numeral will be concealed by the area 22 or the larger shaded area 16.

Operation In the assembled relation of the calendar the sleeve 14 of FIGURE 3 overlies the body element 15. The sleeve is set so that the desired month of band 34 appears in the window 18 whereby one of [the complete months Patented Feb. 6, 1962 An uppermost band 26 comprises in band 38 will appear in the window 20. The calendar may then be read in the usual manner in the window 29. By the arrangement of the numerals in the two months of band 38 of the sleeve and the window areas available in the band 32 of the body element, the numerals 31 will be concealed or will appear, depending upon whether or not that particular month has thirtyone days. I

It is to be understood. that the indicia and markings of the body element, shown in FIGURE 2, may be provided on the sleeve and the indicia and markings of the '11: sleeve shown in FIGURE 3 may be provided on the body element, with the same results as described hereinbefore. The applicant does not desire to be limited to the specific arrangement of the indicia and markings on either of the particular elements.

In the arrangement where the sleeve carries the month designations and the day of the month designations and overlies the shaded and windowed portions on the body member, it is apparent that such designations on the sleeve which overlie the shaded areas are rendered sub- Stantially indistinguishable, and therefore in examining the calendar the portion of the designations on the sleeve which appear in the window portions are the most legible and the operators attention is directed to such window portions.

Hence it is clear by the present invention that there is provided a calendar which is readily adaptable for use on small cylindrical bodies such as the body members of writing instruments. By means of the present inventionvthere is provided a simplified construction having only a single movable part and one which does not add to the weight or bulk of the writing instrument. Such structure also does not alter the balance of the writing instrument,

importantly, the arrangement of the indicia is such that the calendar can be read conveniently and accurately, i.e., the writing instrument does not have to be rotated for obtaining a reading thereon, and therefore the advantages of a flat calendar are achieved on a relatively small cylindrical calendar.

The various columns of the calendar may be colored distinctively if desired for easy reference.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A writing instrument comprising a body member, a circumferential guideway in the body member, a sleeve member rotatably mounted in the guideway, a circumferential band on one of the members inscribed with month designations, a circumferential shaded band on the other member registering with the first mentioned circumferential band and having a window portion in which one month designation at a time may be inspected, a circumferential band on one of the membersinscribed with numerals comprising two complete sets of the days of a month, a circumferential shaded band on the other of the members registeringwith the band with the days of the month and having a window of a selected width in which a single one only of the two sets of days of the month may be inspected, the latter windowed band having a first shaded area defining said window therein and having a second shaded area disposed in the window and defining with the first shaded area a second window in which a last day of selected months may be inspected. 2. A writing instrument comprising a body member, a circumferential groove in the body member, a sleeve member rotatably mounted in the groove, a circumferential band'on'one of the members inscribed with month designations divided into eleven sections, a circumferential shaded band on the other member registering with the first mentioned circumferential band and having a window portion in which one month designation at a time may be inspected, a circumferential band on one of the members inscribed with numerals comprising two complete sets of the days of a month, a circumferential shaded band on the other of the members registering with the band with the days of the month and having a window area of a selected width in which a single one only of the two sets of days of the month may be inspected, the latter windowed band having a first shaded area defining said window therein and having a second shaded area disposed in the window and defining with the first shaded area a second window in which a last day of selected months may be inspected.

3. A writing instrument comprising a body member, a circumferential groove in the body member, a sleeve member rotatably mounted in the groove, a first circumferential band on the sleeve member inscribed with month designations, a second circumferential band on the sleeve inscribed with numerals comprising two complete sets of the days of a month, a first circumferential band on the body member registering with the first sleeve band and comprising a shaded area having a window therein in which one month designation at a time may be inspected, a second circumferential shaded band on the body memer having a window area therein of a selected width in which a single one of the two sets of days of the month on the second sleeve band may be inspected, the latter windowed band having a first shaded area defining said window therein and having a second shaded area disposed in the window and defining with the first shaded area a second window in which a last day of selected months may be inspected.

4. A writing instrument comprising a body member, a circumferential groove in the body member, a sleeve member rotatably mounted in the groove, a first circumferential band on the sleeve member inscribed with month designations, a second circumferential band on the sleeve inscribed with numerals comprising two complete sets of the days of a month, a third circumferential band on the sleeve member comprising a continuous transparent window area, a first circumferential shaded band on the body member registering with the first sleeve band and having a window therein in which one month designation at a time may be inspected, a second circumferential shaded band on the body member registering with the second sleeve band and having a window area therein of a selected width in which a single one of the two sets of days of the month may be inspected, the latter windowed band having a first shaded area defining said window therein and having a second shaded area disposed in the window and defining wit-h the first shaded area a second window in which a last day of selected months may be inspected.

5. A calendar comprising a body member, a circumferential groove in the body member, a. sleeve member rotatably mounted in the groove, a circumferential band on one of the members inscribed with numerals comprising two complete sets of the days of a month, and a circumferential shaded band on the other member registering with such circumferential band, the band on said other member having a window area of a selected width in which a single one of the two sets of days of the month is visible and having a first shaded area defining said window therein and a second shaded area disposed in the window and defining with the first shaded area a second window in which a last day of selected month may be inspected.

6. A calendar comprising a body member, a circumferential groove in the body member, a sleeve member rotatablyv mounted in the groove, a circumferential band on one of the members inscribed with numerals comprising two complete sets of the days of a month, a circumferential shaded band on the other member registering with such circumferential shaded band, the band having a window area of a selected width through which a single one of the two sets of days of the month is visible, the other set of days of the month being in registry with the shaded portion of the shaded band and being rendered substantially indistinguishable by the shaded area.

7. A writing instrument comprising a body member, a circumferential groove in the body member, a sleeve member rotatably mounted in the groove, a circumferential band on the sleeve including two complete sets of the days of a month, a circumferential shaded band on the writing instrument in underlying registry with the circumferential band on the sleeve, the band on the writing instrument having a window area of a selected width through which a single one of the two sets of days of the month is visible, the other set of days of the month being in registry with the shaded portion of the shaded band and being rendered substantially indistinguishable by the shaded area.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

